Field
Embodiments relate to species prediction of detected trees in an aerial image.
Background
Geographical information systems exist that allow users to view various locations around the Earth. The geographical information system may display aerial or satellite imagery texture-mapped to the surface of the Earth to create an accurate three-dimensional rendering of the portion of the Earth being viewed. If the viewed area includes trees, three-dimensional models of those trees may be included in the rendering.
In geographical information systems, three-dimensional models of trees may be rendered according to their crown size and species. However, accurately determining which species to render for a particular tree or set of trees may be difficult. Thus, other data may be used to provide an approximation of the distribution of various tree species.
For example, it may be known that for a given area being viewed by a user of a geographical information system, such as an area of San Francisco, Calif., 50% of the trees in the area are pine trees, 30% are broadleaf, and 20% of the trees are various other species. Thus, when rendering an image of the area in a geographical information system, the images of the trees may match to the known distribution of the trees.
Such a rendering may not be entirely accurate, however. Although the distribution may be correct for the given area, the rendering may not accurately represent the positioning of various tree species. That is to say, one portion of the viewed area may have a great number of broadleaf trees, while another portion may have no broadleaf trees. As stated above, while the distribution of the trees may result in a rendering of 30% broadleaf trees, the positioning of the trees may not be known.